Should you be heading to overseas destinations, or be responsible for personnel travelling or posted overseas, it is vitally important to understand and identify how to ‘best manage’ the unique security risk profile that each destination currently presents.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, most people are a bit rusty with regards to travel security awareness. Regions that may have been relatively safe a year or two ago, may be less safe now.
The world has dramatically changed requiring the need for travel and posting risk assessments to be professionally updated. Travel policies, training programs and contingencies require serious re-validation and changes should be expected.
International travellers too often limit their understanding of local conditions to shallow media coverage, traveller’s luck or perhaps their experiences travelling there before the pandemic. Growing political instability, hostile action and posturing by some governments, social upheaval and terrorism are a few factors shaping a far less predictable and more dangerous world for the traveller.
For organisations sending personnel to other countries, obtaining current country security briefings and training from subject matter experts with real-world experience is prudent. There may also be legal and insurance requirements to do so.
Seeking multiple sources of reliable information can produce a picture with greater clarity to allow for better preparation and support to keep personnel safe. Sources should include travel advisories issued by governments of comparable countries. This allows organisations sending personnel to international destinations a broader and perhaps more current, perhaps more nuanced risk picture before and during their travel or posting.
For example, the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) of the U.S. Department of State recently added a new category of Travel Risk Advisory Indicator, ‘D’ for wrongful detention. This Indicator sits with other categories such as ‘T’ for terrorism, ‘K’ for kidnapping & hostage taking and ‘U’ for civil unrest.
Our earlier blog ‘Going Overseas?’ provides some valuable information that should be part of this preparation.
Would you like to discuss in confidence overseas security briefings, travel safety awareness programs or security audits for your overseas facilities or supply chain?
Stay safe.
Contact:
Geoff Harris, Principal Consultant – info@harris.com.au or Phone +61 2 9560 9933
Stay safe.
Harris Security Management
Trusted independent security consultants since 1983
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Disclaimer:
- The above article is of a general nature only, it is not comprehensive and not contextualised. The article is intended to stimulate and focus conversation on security and related risk management.
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